Rail-joint.



w. NALEPKL BAIL JOINT.

Arm-10511011 TILED saw. 1, 1911.

Patented June 4, 191 2.

WITNESSES FIG. 2

' 1 14 16 J2 I Z Z0 15 j) COLUMBIA FMNOORAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALENTY NALEPKA, OF SOUTH OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-SIXTH TO PAULZUREK, ONE-SIXTH T0 KAROL SIEWNAK, AND ONE-SIXTH TO STANLEY WIERNEK, ALLOF SOUTH OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Application filed September 1, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALENTY NALEPKA, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, residing at South Omaha, in the county of Douglas andState of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rail joints, and the objects of my inventionare to provide a simple and effective means for connecting theconfronting ends of rails that will compensate for expansion andcontraction of said rails, and to obviate the necessity of using splicebars and bolts and nuts for connecting the confronting ends of rails.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a rail fastener for theconfronting ends of rails that will serve functionally as a bond and canbe used to advantage in connection with street railway rails or therails of a steam railway equipped with electric signals that depend uponthe rails for the completion of an electric circuit.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a rail fastener for theabutting ends of rails that can be easily and quickly in stalled andused in connection with various types of ties or sleepers.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to behereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rail joint; Fig. 2 is a horizontalsectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of adetached tie plate.

The reference numerals 1 denote metallic ties of the hollow channel barconstruction, these ties supporting the confronting or abutting ends ofrails 2 and 6 and have the base flanges 3 thereof secured to the ties byplates 4 that are bolted or otherwise connected, as at 5, to said tiesupon each side of said rails.

The end of the rail 2 is provided with two sets of openings 7 and 8 andthe rail 6 has the web thereof provided with two sets of openings 9 and10. Extending through the opening 7 of the rail 2 are the clenched ends11 of coiled springs 12 having the opposite ends thereof of greaterlength than the clenched ends, these said opposite ends providing a yokeor stirrup 13 that is placed over a hook 14. The hook 14 has the ends 15thereof extending through the set of openings 9 of the rail 6 andclenched and mounted in the set of openings 8 of the rail 2 are clenchedends 16 of coiled springs 17, the opposite ends of said springsterminating in a yoke 18 that engages over a hook 19 similar to the hook14, said hook having the ends thereof clenched, as at 20, in the set ofopenings 10 of the rail 6. The springs 12 and 17 are located upon theopposite sides of the web of the rail 2, said springs compensating forvibrations of said rails due to heavy rolling stock passing over thesame. The yokes 13 and 18 serve functionally as bonds and said yokescannot become accidentally displaced due to vibrations of the rails,thereby insuring a positive electrical connection between said rails.The fasteners between theends of the rails can be made of a conductivematerial, as copper, and when of such metal they can be easily placed inposition.

What I claim is:

In a rail joint, the combination with the confronting ends of rails,having the webs thereof provided with sets of openings, of coiledsprings arranged upon both sides of the web of one rail, said springshaving the ends thereof arranged in the opening of said rail andclenched, the opposite ends of said springs terminating in yokes, andhooks having the ends thereof clenched in the openings of the other railand adapted to hold said yokes and thereby provide a bond between saidrails.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

WALENTY NALEPKA. Witnesses:

J. LEVY, ISIDOR PERELMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

